Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 43 Everyone Has Their Own Fate: The Shortcut to Immortal Sect (4.5 thousand words)
Fang Shu glanced at Su Qingao kneeling in front of him and for a moment thought he had mistaken her for someone else.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Su Qingao's voice became more urgent. She tried to grab Fang Shu's hand and put it on her body.

But Fang Shu gently turned to the side and avoided the other party's movement.

When the woman tried to get closer, Fang Shu's expression remained unchanged, but the blood and energy he had been holding back suddenly erupted.

An aura like that of a tiger, wolf, or venomous snake emanated from him, causing Su Qingao to tremble and dare not act rashly again.

Bang! Bang!
Su Qingao dared not harass Fang Shu any further, so she kowtowed on the ground, sobbing.

"Brother Fang, please have mercy and accept me."

That old guy is no human being, sob sob sob..."

Fang Shu merely squinted at the woman, remaining silent.

Just then, the commotion inside the house disturbed the two neighboring houses.

Dou Sufu and the talisman master Li Yuan both poked their heads out and looked over.

And then, a series of curses and swears came from outside the door: "Run! You little bitch, you ran away again! You'll just come back anyway..."

The cursing came from the old man who was the one Su Qinggao was staying with; the old man had already reached the vicinity of the paper house where the uncle and nephew lived.

Upon seeing that Su Qingao had entered their room, the man's cursing subsided and he fell silent.

in the house.

Seeing Fang Shu's silent and thoughtful demeanor, Second Uncle Yu Le pressed down on Fang Shu's shoulder before Fang Shu could react, and gathered some clean leftover food from the house, wrapping it up.

He stepped forward and placed the object in Su Qingao's hand, then shook his head and waved to the woman, signaling her to go back.

The old man outside, though he didn't curse again, didn't leave either; he was lurking in the shadows.

Upon seeing his second uncle Yu Le's actions, the other person suddenly darted from outside to the door, then, with a shameless grin, bowed to the uncle and nephew.

"This lowly servant girl offended Master Yu and Young Master Fang, please forgive her!"

After saying this, the old man grabbed Su Qingao's hair, dragged him outside, and continued to curse:

"You filthy bitch! Don't embarrass me here. Nobody wants you, except me."

Su Qingao collapsed to the ground, struggling, her voice wailing like a wildcat in heat.

"No! No! Brother Fang, save me."

My body is still clean, I still have my virginity, please save me!!

Taking advantage of the old man's momentary lapse in attention, she scrambled back, but instead of begging Fang Shu, she threw herself in front of her second uncle, Yu Le:

"Uncle Yu, please have mercy!"
"You're short-staffed at home, so why don't I take care of you?"

Her hair was disheveled, but her face was full of hope.

In response, she was met with a bitter smile from her second uncle, Yu Le, who simply bowed to her and then shook his head firmly.

Su Qingao's gaze wanted to pass over his second uncle, Yu Le, and look at Fang Shu in the room, to plead for help.

However, Fang Shu was not the only one who remained unmoved.

Even her view was completely blocked by her second uncle, Yu Le, preventing her from having any chance to plead with Fang Shu.

Then, a hysterical wail and ridicule erupted between Su Qingao and the old man in front of the door, waking up many of the paper mill neighbors who were about to rest.

Many people opened doors and windows, all casting their gazes toward the paper house of the uncle and nephew.

Second Uncle Yu Le stood at the door, still smiling bitterly, bowing to the neighbors on all sides.

The commotion in the paper mill subsided only after the old man and young woman returned home, but cries and shouts still echoed through the paper walls, likely continuing for half the night.

Just then, Li Yuan, the neighbor next door, strolled over. He looked in the direction the old man and young woman had left and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Talisman Master Li Yuan gave his second uncle Yu Le a thumbs up: "You're capable, Old Yu. If your nephew gets entangled with this woman, his reputation might be ruined."

Neighbor Dou Sufu didn't go out; she stayed inside and chimed in, laughing and raising her voice:
"If Brother Fang Shu ever gets a craving for women, remember to come find your sister... your sister will play matchmaker for you."

These words drew a burst of laughter from the talisman master Li Yuan:
"Don't bother with matchmaking, I think your Sister Dou is quite nice."

"Pah! You shameless old man."

Dou Sufu only wanted to tease Fang Shu, but she didn't want to be teased in return. She pretended to be angry and cursed under her breath before slamming the doors and windows shut.

Talisman Master Li Yuan clicked his tongue a few times, bowed to his second uncle Yu Le, and then walked into the house.

Suddenly, however, the talisman master Li Yuan turned around and said something to his second uncle, Yu Le, who was standing beside him:
"By the way, Lao Yu, don't get yourself into trouble because of your brother Fang."

He whispered, "That girl might still be clean in some places, but that's probably the only clean part of her body. Be careful."

Talisman Master Li Yuan gestured towards Fang Shu inside the paper house, saying, "If you don't believe me, ask your nephew."

These words startled Yu Le, the second uncle, who looked at Fang Shu in bewilderment.

Fang Shu's expression was also strange at this moment, and he immediately understood what the talisman master Li Yuan meant.

After being reminded by the other party, Fang Shu was also a little worried that after his family became wealthy, his second uncle would be schemed against and entangled by that woman.

He didn't want to come back one day to find that there was suddenly an aunt in the house, especially since that aunt was Su Qingao.

So after the paper door was closed, Fang Shu told his second uncle, Yu Le, about what he had personally heard about the "soaking dates" incident, as well as the rumors he had overheard while chatting with Li Hou'er.

For a moment, even the second uncle clicked his tongue in amazement.

However, what Uncle Yu Le cared about was not what kind of humiliation Su Qingao had suffered or how the old man could be so hateful.

What he was more concerned about was why Su Qingao had not yet escaped from Zhifang. How could a so-called marriage contract bind such a large living person?
Fang Shu's second uncle asked him questions, which made Fang Shu ponder for a moment.

Just as my second uncle Yu Le said, even if Su Qingao was tricked into marrying into the paper mill, she was not reduced to a slave or placed under a restraint; and the old man was not a strongman who mined sand.

If this woman truly cannot bear the humiliation, she can simply leave the paper mill and sell her blood in the market to make a living.

Unless the woman has some kind of leverage that the old man has caught, or the old man is quite capable and not to be underestimated, and Su Qingao has other plans...

In short, this is a problem!

Fang Shu pondered for a moment and then decided to talk to his second uncle, Yu Le, about it.

When he looked up, he saw his second uncle, Yu Le, with a smiling gaze.

Fang Shu immediately understood.

It turned out that his second uncle, Yu Le, wasn't really curious about the suspicious points about Su Qingao, but was only concerned about whether Fang Shu had realized these things.

However, Uncle Yu Le was really overthinking it.

If it weren't for his second uncle being there today, and it were only Fang Shu alone, he wouldn't have opened the door at all, so as not to disturb his own peace and quiet.

After all, we are all just people struggling to make a living in the market; no one is more noble or more pitiful than anyone else.

Seeking one's own happiness and respecting the lives of others are the foundation for a peaceful and secure life in the marketplace.

Fang Shu didn't say much. He grinned and obediently cupped his hands in greeting to his second uncle.

This move pleased his second uncle, Yu Le, who remained calm and composed, maintaining his composure.

After chatting for a while, the uncle and nephew turned off the lights and went to bed one by one.

………………

The next day at dawn, Fang Shu washed up, bid farewell to his second uncle, and headed to the Taoist temple, eager to receive the immortal teachings he would receive after entering the Taoist path!

To his surprise, as soon as he arrived at the Dugu Pavilion, he felt something lift up from his body.

Looking up, he saw the Blood Flea that the Master of the Dugu Pavilion had given him. The Flea Master emerged from his hair and flew into the inner courtyard of the Dugu Pavilion, probably to find the Master of the Dugu Pavilion.

This inevitably stirred a sense of regret in Fang Shu's heart.

When he was rescuing people from the lead-mountain mine, he clearly noticed that the mine owner surnamed Cao only glanced at his Taoist robe and name card once each.

However, the way the other person looked at him sometimes revealed a hint of seriousness.

This look was clearly not the kind one would give to a newly initiated immortal. It was likely that the person had noticed the flea master on Fang Shu's body and was therefore wary.

Fang Shu naturally hoped to always carry such a life-saving and protective Gu worm with him as a source of confidence.

Unfortunately, the owner only lent it to him temporarily, rather than giving it to him entirely.

Suddenly, Fang Shu had an idea: "Instead of hoping for something from others, why not refine it myself?"

According to the fragments of Gu techniques passed down by the master of the Duguan Pavilion, once one enters the realm of Gu, a first-level immortal may be able to refine a second-level Gu worm, a second-level immortal may be able to refine a third-level Gu worm, and even an immortal who has refined essence may be able to refine a Qi-refining Gu worm.

Its cultivation is quite different from that of magic spells and artifacts. The Gu worms it produces can be one or even several steps higher than the cultivation level of the Gu cultivator!

Of course, to refine a Gu worm that surpasses one's own level, not only must the Gu refiner be exceptionally talented and skilled, but also possess top-quality Gu materials and blood food. It is by no means as simple as described in the book.

Fang Shu quickly suppressed his distracting thoughts and continued walking towards the inner courtyard of the dojo.

However, the idea of ​​refining Gu poison took root in his heart from that moment on.

Soon.

Before Fang Shu could even go to thank the owner of the Du Pavilion, Senior Sister Yu'er found him first.

"You're back. Have you taken care of everything?" Du Yu'er asked with a smile.

Fang Shu cupped her hands in thanks and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. Everything has been settled, and I was just about to seek my master's thanks."

"No rush, no rush. Come with me. I'll arrange a place for you to stay in the inner courtyard and the front courtyard of the building. There are also a few vacant positions. I heard from Grandma that you have relatives there, so we might need to make arrangements for them. Take a look and choose one."

Du Yu'er said it casually.

However, the other party's words stirred Fang Shu's heart, and he suddenly felt a little more approval for the Dugu Pavilion.

He hadn't expected that the owner of the inn had even considered his second uncle's livelihood.

My second uncle, Yu Le, has just returned from the mine. Although he needs to rest and recover at home for a while, he will have to find work to earn money once he has recovered.

Selling blood is no longer an option; it's harmful to the body and can be fatal. As for leatherworking, it's not very stable either.

The owner's arrangement will solve the problem of my second uncle's livelihood!

Furthermore, since the second uncle was in the Dugu Pavilion, it would be convenient for the uncle and nephew to take care of each other. Even if the wages were lower, it would still be better than doing ordinary work in the market.

Inside the Dugu Pavilion, Du Yu'er walked around, explaining the tasks in the front yard to Fang Shu:
"The pharmacy is short of someone to cook the medicine, but we need to learn for a while first, so that we don't accidentally get poisoned while processing the medicinal materials and end up hurting ourselves instead."

The canteen is also short of a cook. He won't be the head chef, but he'll need to work part-time at the chopping board, responsible for cutting vegetables, kneading dough, and slaughtering pigs and sheep. The good thing is that he'll occasionally handle offal, pig skin, and pig bristles… The pay for these jobs isn't much, so don't force yourself if you're not satisfied.”

Senior Sister Yu'er made no attempt to conceal anything, revealing the advantages and disadvantages of several positions, and even whether there were any lucrative opportunities.

Fang Shu listened carefully. He did not hesitate, nor did he write to ask his second uncle, Yu Le, lest his second uncle want to choose a job that paid more but was dangerous, or feel unworthy of the job and dare not choose one that paid less.

He immediately chose the relatively safe, slightly dirty and tiring, but occasionally lucrative position of canteen cook.

Fortunately, his second uncle worked as a cook in the canteen of the Dugu Restaurant. He could also tan the leftover furs and other scraps from the ingredients, earning some extra money.

After some thought, Fang Shu bowed deeply to Du Yu'er:
"The position of cook is perfect for my second uncle. Thank you, senior sister."

Du Yu'er smiled and waved her hand:

"No need for formalities. Once we're in the inner courtyard, we're all family. By the way, this is a private room I picked out for you. I've already put up a sign for it. What do you think?"
If that doesn't work, there are a few empty rooms next door; we can try those.

Fang Shu looked up and saw that it was a side room on the edge.

I went inside to take a look. It wasn't particularly nice or big, only about ten feet long, but it was well-made with solid materials. It was constructed entirely of high-quality hardwood, and the walls even looked like they were made of bricks.

Furthermore, this room is located on one side, which is open space with no other rooms, while the other side is also a temporarily empty room, making it quite quiet.

This kind of consideration clearly shows that they have good intentions.

Fang Shu immediately agreed: "This is the one, thank you, senior sister."

After finishing the two small matters, Du Yu'er led Fang Shu towards the inner courtyard, presumably to pay her respects to Master Du.

On the road.

Fang Shu suddenly remembered something and casually asked, "Senior Sister is also a Daoist immortal, so why do you still have to squeeze into a dormitory with the female disciples in the front courtyard?"

After entering the Dao, he discovered that this seemingly weak, gentle and quiet Senior Sister Yu'er actually possessed astonishing Qi and blood, which she could control with ease, far surpassing his own abilities as a newly initiated inner court disciple.

Fang Shu even suspected that Senior Sister Yu'er might be a Second Tribulation Immortal.

Upon hearing Fang Shu's question, Du Yu'er first said, "Grandma is not comfortable getting along with the disciples. Since the school is short-staffed, I will take care of it."

Then, with a sly look on her face, she beckoned Fang Shu to her side and whispered in his ear:

"As for those who share a dormitory with the disciples at night, I might be the one in the first half of the night, but in the second half, I'm just a puppet being drugged."

"Could you help keep an eye on the female disciples in the academy and guard against any scoundrels?"

Fang Shu seemed to understand but not quite.

Although he didn't know the difference between the so-called drug-powered puppet and the fireworks dolls in the mortal world, he believed it was a kind of magic used by immortals, which Senior Sister Yu'er used as a substitute and guard.

During their conversation, the two of them had already entered the inner courtyard.

After finding the owner of the guesthouse, the owner didn't ask Fang Shu a single question, but instead told the two of them, "The usual place."

Then, in a corner of the inner courtyard.

The area was paved with octagonal stone bricks, and copper pillars and banners were placed in all eight directions, resembling an altar or a square. Fang Shu saw Li Hou'er, Qin Min, and others walking over one by one.

The people who appeared today were clearly all formal disciples of the Dugu Pavilion's inner courtyard, or rather, formal Daoist apprentices.

There weren't many people who came. Including Fang Shu and Du Yu'er, there were only six people in total. Many others didn't show up.

Among the newcomers, apart from Li Hou'er who winked at Fang Shu, the others all looked at Fang Shu with considerable scrutiny.

Fang Shu ignored these gazes and didn't intend to immediately become friends with these senior brothers and sisters. He simply lowered his eyelids, waited silently, and pricked up his ears.

The master of the temple has gathered everyone today, clearly intending to teach them the first lesson after they become disciples, as well as impart their skills, experience, and rules.

These are the things he should value most and pay the most attention to when he visits the museum.

As expected, the owner of the inn spoke after everyone had arrived:
"Today's sermon, apart from introducing the new disciples who have entered the inner court, and as usual teaching the secret insect technique of this institution, and checking your progress."

"Let me first tell you about a few shortcuts to joining a celestial sect."

The sound was not loud, and there was no dramatic fluctuation.

However, its appearance not only attracted Fang Shu's attention, but also made the other disciples raise their eyes and look intently at the master of the hall.

Even Qin Min, the genius in the academy, was no exception.

(End of this chapter)